Sex & Manhattan
by RachelleWroteHere
Summary: The bodies appeared out of nowhere. She and her boss had one suspect in mind. No evidence. No motive. But he was just so...him. Rated M for sexual content, drug mention, abuse, and death.
1. Chapter 1

**Sex & Manhattan - Chapter 1**

_**This chapter was rewritten.**_

**Wow, I hope you review because I love this plot. I always wanted to right a story on the Secret Service and FBI. I think this will become and FanFiction favorite. **

**As you can see I'm updating earlier than I told you I would on Theater Lights but just because I was excited to get this out there. You guys are so amazing and I know I will get great feedback. I am still working on Her Feet, I'm trying to perfect it. **

**Also, I wrote out the rest of the plot for Blue and began the first chapter of Seeing Gray. I think all my stories are coming together pretty good and if I have all my reviewers and support behind me I think they will be better than great. **

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><p>"And did you get he case I left on your desk yesterday morning?" Josef Anderson spoke to Agent Montez.<p>

It was a Thursday. No specific thing happened on Thursdays except the usual anticipation for Friday and the weekend. Gabriella Montez came into her office with her usual iced coffee from the bagel shop across the street and had sighed when she caught sight of her boss spinning in her desk chair. It seemed like a case was given to her every week. Her boss was obviously challenging her and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Yes, I did, seems interesting."

The suspect was Troy Bolton, the cousin of Sharpay Evans, the ex girlfriend of all three victims. She was assigned to follow him around for the next few weeks and work with Taylor Mckessie, a good friend of hers.

"Glad you're excited about it, Miss Montez. It's not going to be an easy job, he's smart and swift and a chemist. He'll get you like that." Mr. Anderson snapped his fingers to prove his point. "Please do show precision in every step you make."

Gabriella snorted. A twenty-five year old chemist was a laugh. But by the looks of the mysterious and odd picture secretly taken of him by her coworker, Samantha Peterson, he looked capable of anything. After all, hitting off three people in a total of six days without any evidence of force of entry, fingerprints, weapon, or shoeprints, you had to be swift, smart, and have what it takes. Everything Anderson had listed this Troy Bolton as.

She watched her boss silently give her a pointed look, stand from her desk, and leave her office. Gabriella sat and sipped her carmel frap and looked at the gadgets and papers laid across her desk from the Troy Bolton case, also known as case #108 in her green and black file cabinet.

She decided to begin today. Anderson had told her his frequent hot spot was the bar on 32nd where he often had a sandwhich with his buddy Chad Danforth and few drinks. Gabriella picked up her short and small pocket gun and placed it in her boot. After picking up her 39 millimeter pistol, mace, tazer, and walkie-talkie, she had downed the rest of her iced coffee and headed out the door. She pulled out her mouthpiece and hooked it in the back of her mouth then placed her earpiece in her ear covering her ears with her hair.

"Taylor. I'm going." Gabriella called to her. Taylor nodded and picked up her bag pistol also.

"I'll be right behind you."

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><p>She walked out the everyday looking apartment building. The point of a secret agency was to remain secret, right?<p>

A bold and blunt sign saying "Super Secret Agency of the U.S. Government Head Quarters" didn't really keep a secret. All the weaponry on her person was well hidden in her clothing and the small picture of Mr. Troy Bolton was tucked away in the purse that hung on her shoulder. The Huntington Grill and Bar was in West Manhattan so she had to take the 5 train to reach there by 10:00.

That gave him enough time to reach before her. Her phone buzzed and toned but she ignored it as she fished for her Metro Card. She could take the bus but she refused on this hot summer day to be stuck and rely on one of the hot buses of New York. At least the train system was about 2 times more reliable on air conditioning. She slightly jogged down the steps already wanting to leave the hot muggy air of Grand Central Station. Suprisingly, she spotted him, that Troy Bolton.

Smiling to herself, she couldn't believe her luck as she slid her metro card in the slot, the light switched green, and she followed him keenly. Gabriella let people go in front of her just so she could seem less suspicious. Troy went up to the machine to get his ticket, she went to the one next to him and punched in same buttons. They got the tickets at the same time and she let him turn first. She took the long way, around the pillar, behind the hot cake stand, and followed him onto the train. It was crowded and she lost sight of Troy quickly.

She took out her phone and checked her text messages for the 25 minute train ride. _Taylor Mckessie – 2 new messages._

Gabriella decided to respond later. Right at this moment she had to focus. She stood and caught a glimpse of the top of his brunette head.

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><p>She was following him. He felt the eyes fixed on the back of his head. He could only imagine that it was about the "mysterious" deaths. He wondered if they found out the name of "John Doe" yet. His name was Aubrey Stewart. The most recent ex of his cousin, Sharpay Evans, the actress. He held onto the pole tightly and leaned against it in anguish. Zane. <em>Oh my, poor Zane.<em> He pulled his iPod out and put the earbuds in his ears.

He was innocent. He knew he was maybe not everyone else but at least he knew that. He knew what they did to his boy and it didn't give Sharpay the right to do what she did. When this was all cleared up he would like to sit and talk about it but he wasnt able to because it seemed everyone knew what he was doing and he was never alone. Even in his home. He just wanted his son back, those sons of bitches took his son from him, his precious little son.

The sickness in his stomach made him even more upset then he thought he could ever be. But something wasn't right about the way Sharpay told him. It still bothered him that she told him like she had done it herself, like as if she was there when they killed Zane.

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><p><em>He was tense.<em>

Gabriella could tell from his stance. His knuckles were white, he stood stick straight, and appeared ready to run.

Once the bell dinged and the destination was announced he bounded out the cold but musty air of the train. She knew he probably felt watched. The buzz of conversation filled Gabriella's ears as she pushed past citizens to make sure she didn't lose sight of the nutcase, Troy Bolton. Now she feared that she had to be prepared for confrontation at any time.

"Brownie, you there? Over." Gabriella grabbed her walkie-talkie and quickly shut it off. She looked back and forth then answered. "You idiot. I'm on a case right now couldn't we talk later. Over!" Gabriella answered looking around for the brown head of Mr. Bolton.

"Oh sorry. Well, I see you, Ms. Undercover and he's actually in front of me sliding his metro card to get out of the train station. Why are you all the way over there? Over."

Samantha Green, undercover photographer, now a classified agent. How she got there, Gabriella had no clue because knowing Sammy, she was anything and everything but secretive and quiet. She looked around in confusion and then spotted the blonde hidden in the corner snapping away. "Stop that!" She hissed.

"I can't help that he's photogenic! The camera's calling him…Troy…" Samantha droned in a dramatic voice.

Sammy was quite the character actually. She liked to joke and was the comedian of the agency. Her personality was quite the contrast to Taylor Mckessie's, a serious woman. Gabriella shook her head and strolled over to go scold her playful coworker. Apparently, Troy was having trouble with his card so two train station workers approached to solve the problem. She grabbed Sammy by her noodle like arm. The blonde just giggled and held onto her chunky camera.

"Are you insane?" Gabriella whispered harshly and slid her card. Sammy did the same following suit and Gabriella walked out the station and stood in the corner by the door where another man stood smoking. Gabriella's phone buzzed again for at least the fifth time that day. She pulled it out of her bag and answered throwing a stern look at Sammy that told her to hush.

"Yes, Gabriella speaking?" she answered the phone.

"Gabs, it's Taylor. Any news? You haven't been answering my messages." Ms. Mckessie spoke on the other line.

Troy walked out the door and turned sharply apparently he was late for drinks with his buddy Chad. Gabriella once again pulled on Sammy's arm and began to follow him.

"Actually I'm with Sammy. We're following him down to 32nd. Anderson told me he always stopped by to hang out with someone named Chad Danforth at the Huntington Grill and Bar." Gabriella answered smoothly. Sammy yanked her arm away to get closer and took a picture of him when he turned his head to the side to glance at something.

"Hmm, where are you now?" Taylor asked as papers shuffled in the background and something beeped loudly.

"We're on 53rd. We have a long walk ahead of us." Gabriella huffed. She looked down at her watch.

"Make sure Sammy behaves. And what do you see right now?" Taylor picked at Gabriella's brain a little more.

Something was off.

Gabriella looked around and realized Sammy had indeed disappeared to the other side of the street to take pictures. Gabriella sighed quite annoyed at how easily that woman got distracted. "Well, I see what looks like a mall. I see the Coach store."

"Gabriella, he's taking you on a goose chase. He knows. You are going to the opposite direction of the bar. 32nd is the other direction. Either that or he's heading somewhere else. From what I read that's less likely."

Gabriella frowned and then realized she lost sight of him. She furrowed her brows and looked for him, "I think Anderson gave me the wrong directions. I mean this doesn't make any-"

"Gabriella. Anderson's never wrong." Taylor spoke boldly. Gabriella heard voices and then Taylor came back on, "Kelsi just told me Chad is there already."

Gabriella was about to speak before she felt someone tug her and stumbled before finding her self pushed up against the brick wall of the bank on 54th. It was a small gated alley and she knew she'd been caught. She forgot to be prepared she realized. She took a nervous breath and exhaled when she met the cold blue eyes that hardened on her soft brown ones. He pulled the phone from her hand and dropped it on the ground before crushing it beneath his size 11 brown suede shoe. Troy pulled out her pistol and examine it before placing it at her temple.

Gabriella swallowed nervously. Her legs were wobbily and she thought of kneeing him in the groin but with the apparent swiftness he had, it probably wouldn't be the best idea. The first thing she was taught when she got into this business was to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of her enemy. And right now he had a weapon, swiftness, the brains, and the agility. His weakness? Nothing. The chances weren't very good and Anderson told her to be precise about things. She'd just never thought she would be in this predicament .

"Now tell me what's going on."

Gabriella opened her mouth but it closed again. He pressed the gun farther into her temple to let her know that he wasn't patient. Then she remembered the mace. She smiled at him and slowly pulled it from the pocket in her jeans then raised it to his face and sprayed.

He stumbled back with a cry of agony and she quickly picked up the remains of her phone and ran across the street. Sammy frowned at Gabriella's frazzled appearance and was about to ask what happened but Gabriella answered her question mindlessly.

"Can't talk now!" she screamed and clutched Sammy's arm harshly tugging her, she ran down the street and climbed onto the hot bus that had approached.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Sammy asked concerned.

Gabriella nodded breathlessly and leaned back on the bus seat. "Let's just talk about it later okay? Just next time, don't walk away like that."

"Okay…" Sammy spoke and leaned back too. Gabriella let her head nod off to the side to look out the window when she realized she couldn't feel her wallet.

"Shit."

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><p>"He has what?" Taylor screeched.<p>

"I wasn't prepared! So I don't have any pocket money, metro card, or my extra earpiece. I need a new fake ID." Gabriella murmured. "And before you say an agent is always prepared, I will remind you of what happened when you had to follow that creep two months ago."

"Fair enough. I won't tell Anderson, but I will tell Zeke when I ask him for a new ID for you." Taylor's eyes narrowed. "Where was Sam?"

"Taking pictures of the street sign, she was trying to get a picture of the Avenue sign." Gabriella looked away and combed her fingers through her hair.

"This man is swifter than we thought Gabriella, next time wait for me to come with you. He can't fight off two of us at the same time." Gabriella nodded. Taylor rubbed at her friends forearm, "Hey, I'm just glad you're okay. Everyone slips up."

"That's not making me feel better. I don't want to be everyone Tay. He knew more than me, and he isn't supposed to!" Gabriella pulled out her ear piece and then her mouth piece, "He's the case, not me."

"Maybe that's where you are wrong Gabriella, you can't think of him as a case, he is a living person. A smart living person." Taylor handed Gabriella a napkin to put the small pieces in and then sat on her desk, legs crossed. She shoved papers aside and stared in Gabriella's face, "Just no more screw ups okay?"

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><p>Troy flipped the wallet open and read the name. He searched the wallet for anything vital but found nothing but the fake ID, some money, and an earpiece. He threw the wallet in the garbage and threw his head back bothered by the fact that he knew he didn't commit the crimes.<p>

He grew up with the murderer. She never used to have blonde hair, it used to be a rich dark brown and her big gray eyes used to be hazel at some point in his memory. He missed his cousin but not the monster he knew now. Troy got off the train dialing his friend's number to tell him they wouldn't be meeting up today. He headed back to his apartment and threw his jacket down and kicked off his shoes. Something about the woman that followed him was becoming an annoying thought in the back of his mind.

The way her eyes looked when he caught her, the way her lips curved before he got an eyeful of mace, and especially the way she didn't feel when he took her wallet. She was ill prepared, something he wasn't used to.

He undressed and stepped into the warm shower he had set for himself. He really didn't expect to go back home but to get a beer and talk about all his problems with his best friend, and these problems just seemed to increase by the moment.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed. <strong>

**Review. **

**Rachelle :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, I'm thinking of publishing Her Feet sooner than planned. I can actually give you the date: September 10th. Only because I have nothing to do that day and I'm trying not to plan anything that day either. **

**I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. I kept getting emails about people reviewing and favoriting my stories and I loved it. I just wish you all would read and review instead of just adding my story to your "Story Alert" list. _I allow Anonymous reviewers_. **

**Right now it's a bit tough. I have finally got writer's block and may only be posting this story for the next week because I can't see when I will be posting Blue or Theater Lights! I only have prewritten chapters on my comp for this story. **

**I'll try my best. :/**

**Enjoy and Review.**

_**Italics are a retelling of past events.**_

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><p>"Ugh!" Gabriella threw her head back.<p>

She rode the man until she was satisfied. She leaned her head against his shoulder and caught her breath. She had just met him at the bar last night, thinks he was a bartender or something to that effect. She was disgusted with herself, she wasn't even drunk enough to say it was a mistake. She just wanted to fuck.

"Leave." she spoke as she got off of him. The barely sober man rolled over in ecstacy and tried to pull himself up and out of her bed. He slowly dressed himself and Gabriella watched him to make sure he didn't steal anything of hers. He walked slowly and she opened the door for him and pushed him out with no patience.

The sex didn't help. She still felt the cool metal against her head and the icy blue eyes still burned her mind.

She walked to the kitchen with tears rolling down her face and cut a lemon in half and poured herself some tequila.

She was going to drink away her unease.

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><p>"Talk to me and talk fast." Troy spoke.<p>

"What you don't have time for your cousin?" Sharpay spoke.

"Shar! They think I killed them! I didn't do it, I swear." Troy droned. "You did, God damn it!"

"Exactly, I did it, Troy." Sharpay chuckled in his ear. "Finally I know what little Troy is afraid of. Jail."

"Why would you do this to me! Why are you letting them follow me?" Troy screamed. "I'm going to the police. I'll turn you in."

"You're so not!" Sharpay said cheekily, "Troy, I have an alibi, you don't. I don't have a reason, you do. There are so many thing wrong with that you are basically turning yourself in."

"Good bye, Sharpay." Troy pressed the end button forcefully and then a knock resounded in his apartment. He pulled his shirt over his head and then went to answer the door. Two police officers stood at his door and he sighed. The shorter one began to speak.

"Troy Bolton?" Troy nodded impatiently.

"We need to take you down to the station with us. Is this a bad time?" Troy shook his head.

"Come in while I get something appropriate to wear." he opened the door wider and he headed to the bedroom. He could hear the men talking about him as if they were not in his house. He came out in jeans and a red shirt and pulled the door open for them. _Here we go again._

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><p>"And where do you think you're going Montez?" Mr. Anderson stopped her.<p>

"Lunch." she answered lowly. "I had a rough morning and didn't eat breakfast. I would appreciate it if you just let me go." she spoke as if reprimanding him.

He shook his head quickly, "After lunch you must meet me in my office. We have things to discuss." he walked off and Gabriella hurried out the building.

"Gabriella! Wait!" Taylor called from the doors. She ran up to her and they began to walk.

"Where are you headed?"

"I am not sure right now, I think I am going to go and see what's open."

"Same. I don't know what I want. I thought I wanted to get Subway but then I figured I just want a warm meal that will last me till dinner." Taylor walked with a bounce to her step. "I heard you were supposed to be going to Anderson's office after..."

"Don't." Gabriella giggled, "I think he is just trying to test me."

"Wow." Taylor said, she turned to where Gabriella was looking and saw Sharpay Evans, the millionaire, walking with her case, Troy Bolton.

"I was not expecting that." Taylor said before they both began to walk a little faster, trying to beat the light to get across the street so they could follow them. "He looks annoyed."

"I would be too if I had to listen to her speak." Taylor answered. Gabriella saw Taylor pull her earbud and mouth piece out of her pocket and nodded before she started walking in front of her.

Gabriella put on her earpiece and pushed her mouthpiece far into the back of her mouth and heard Taylor's voice hum in her ear.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, you're good."

"Great. Because there is someone across the street aiming at Troy. I don't know why but I need you to head over there and I'm going to watch Troy and Sharpay."

"What where? They are going to shoot him down?"

"Go! Red hood and black coat. Go now!"

Gabriella crossed the street and watched the mystery man before finally getting behind him. She placed her hand in her pea coat and wrapped her hand around her pistol before pushing him into the space between two department stores. He turned and made ready to shoot at her but Gabriella pulled out her gun and sneered. "Drop the gun and put your hands up, you're coming with me."

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><p>"Have you got him to crack yet?" Gabriella questioned her boss as she handed him his cup of coffee and sipped her own.<p>

"No. He's just sitting there staring at nothing. He told us that he knew he shouldn't have taken the job but he won't tell us anything more." Mr. Anderson continued. "Are you sure he was after Troy and not Ms. Evans?"

"Oh, we're sure." she murmured and turned to Taylor who played with string of her teabag.

"Sharpay was walking ahead of him while talking, Troy on the other hand had set his own pace, the same pace this guy was walking at." Gabriella explained. She nudged Taylor out of her own little world.

"His name is Chad." Sam interrupted. The three agents turned to the blonde with questioning stares.

"I have a few pictures of him, he's who Troy meets all the time by the grill downtown. He's Chad Danforth, 26 years old, born and raised here, and arrested for shoplifting needles at 14." she explained before taking a look at him through the glass of the confessional room. "You can only take him in for attempted murder though, he is liscensed for a gun. But then again you don't know if he'll use that and the "had it for protection" line and maybe even the "I was moving it because it was uncomfortable in my coat." line too."

Gabriella nodded and looked at her boss who had looked back at Sam with a raised eyebrow, "He'll be in jail for weeks for having it out in public like that and being suspicious."

"Well, so be it but he won't go down without a fighting chance. Jason Cross, Kelsi's hubby is his lawyer." Taylor answered him. The four agents stood in silence. Suddenly Anderson opened the door to the questioning room and gave a pointed look to Gabriella.

She sighed and walked in sipping on her coffee. "Hi." she said shortly and closed the door behind her. He grunted his response with a head nod and she sat in front of him.

"So I thought Troy was your friend..." she said trying to start conversation. She was only answered by silence. "You know the sooner you talk then the sooner you're out of here."

He turned to her with a stare that made her suddenly perturbed. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't want to do it but Shar got dirt on me you know?" Chad began, "I love Troy like he's my brother but she got some good stuff on me, you got me?" She nodded.

"Well, you know Chad, if you tell me the dirt she has on you then I'll work something out and you won't get in trouble for it." she sipped her coffee before setting her cup on the table loudly, it didn't shake him like she hoped. "I want to know why Shar is making you do this, who is Shar?"

"Shar is his cousin. Sharpay Evans. Troy got dirt on her too, but she doesn't want him to tell and he is soon. As soon as he gets himself out of this mess." Chad cleared his throat and hesitantly continued. "I can tell you everything if you get me a glass of water and promise to not tell a soul."

She nodded with a soft smile, "I like you Chad, we'll have to keep in touch." she fibbed a little but it was whatever to gain his trust. She stood and went to retrieve his glass of water.

When she walked out, she smiled her at anxious boss and nodded at her colleagues before she picked up the tape player and got Chad's glass of water. She walked back in and took her seat he watched her every movement.

She sat back after handing him his cup and placed the tape in her recorder, set it in the middle of the table, and pressed play.

"Begin Chad, tell me your name, age, and that you were not forced to speak."

"This tape isn't going to anyone else, right?"

"Not another soul, just like we said, Chad."

He nodded curtly and took another sip of his drink. "My name is Chad Danforth and I am 26 years of age. I was not forced to speak by..." he trailed off.

"Ms. Montez."

"By Ms. Montez." he continued.

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><p><em>You know the moment when you know something could be used against you but you think you could trust whoever found out? Unfortunately, Chad Danforth could not be so sure Sharpay could be trusted. <em>

_It was a cool day in December, and Chad had taken a woman's wallet, leaving her knocked out cold on the sidewalk. _

_"Chad?"_

_He turned and his eyes squinted in the dark as if to see. "Shar?"_

_"So you are the Lady Goods Thief? You've been knocking out these poor defenseless women?" Sharpay tisked under her breath, "You look nothing like the description." _

_Chad's face went dark as she made her accusations, "So what you going to turn me in now?"_

_She shook her head, "This is our little secret." she smiled. _

_He pushed his tongue into his cheek in thought and then looked down at his watch, "Don't you know it's dangerous for you to be out in these parts so late as a woman?"_

_She nodded absently and the blew her hair out her face, making a puff of white smoke, "It doesn't take rocket science for you to know that I want a favor for this secret, Chad, don't beat around the bush."_

_The cold beat against his dark toned cheeks and he rubbed at his burning eyes, "What do you need?"_

_"Nothing yet, but I'll let you know." she smiled. She walked closer to him and kissed his cheek before giving him a wave. "I'll call."_

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><p>"So that's your dirty secret?" Gabriella snickered.<p>

"It's serious." Chad said deadpan.

"Well, may ask you some questions?" she inquired.

He nodded and she drank from her cup, "How did Troy get involved? I just want you to jump ahead."

"Actually that's taking a step back." he chuckled.

"Enlighten me, Chad." she folded her arms and crossed her legs.

"Troy had a son..."

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><p><em>He told Ashleigh he was going to marry her, but the next day she was gone. <em>

_And left him with a note and broken heart. _

_After he was certain he had finished crying he heard a small quivering voice and it almost reduced him to tears again. _

_"Daddy?"_

_"Hey Z-man." he grinned. The four year old stood at the door with his big green eyes that mirrored his mother's he patted the space next to him. The child teetered over broken pieces of lamp and books that had been thrown angrily around the room. _

_"Where's mommy?" the little voice wavered._

_"She left, she said she loves you but she had to go for a while, okay?"_

_"Okay. Are you okay?" he asked before climbing onto his father's lap. _

_"Yeah." Troy answered after rubbing his eyes frantically. He hugged his child, holding him tight. _

_Zane, his son, was the last thing he had left. _

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><p>"Chad, I'm going to have to ask for you speed up the story a little."<p>

"Right, we will go ahead by a year two weeks before, Zane's 5th birthday and a day before what would have been his and Ashleigh's anniversary."

"What drove Ashleigh to leave?"

"She had a man on the side, he promised her better things. At least that's what I heard around." he explained.

"Was Troy making empty promises?" Gabriella finished her coffee and then used the tip of her finger to trace the rim.

He shook his head furiously, "My buddy, Troy? Never, when he gave his word he meant it. Always did."

She nodded, "After Ashleigh left, did he become depressed? Mentally unstable to handle a child? How come I don't have a record of a..." she held up her fingers to make air quotation marks, "Zane?"

"I'm getting to that actually."

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><p><em>On a crisp February morning the snow was already melting, making the sidewalks slippery. Troy carefully stepped on his way to his building. He stepped in the warm elevator and pressed the blue button for the floor his condo was on.<em>

_When he stepped in his house the first odd thing he noticed was the slippery floor, wet boot prints. He raised an eyebrow. At least Zane was still at school. He picked up the poker from the fireplace as a weapon and looked around for an intruder. He placed his bag on the floor and pulled off his beanie. _

_He looked to the TV, another odd thing he noticed, it was on. _

_"Two men fallen from their apartments in the same area have caught the eye of the public. Is it irony or foul play?" the news reporter concluded her report before the station went to commercial. He looked around and picked up a lighter he found and put it in his pocket._

_He noticed the bathroom door ajar and he stepped in cautiously and noticed water pooling over the tub. He looked around and checked behind the door and then walked to the tub to turn off the water. But halted as he saw two pale green lifeless eyes._

_ He screamed in agony feeling his heart being ripped out of his chest as he dove into the tub and pulled his son's lifeless body from the water. He cradled the boy in his arms and sobbed. He tried to perform CPR but when he realized that Zane didn't return the breaths, he fell onto his chest, begging him to breathe. _

_"No! No, no, no!" he sobbed. He picked Zane up and ran out the condo then knocked on doors. When no one answered he went in the elevator, assuring his dead child everything was going to be okay. He ran to the front desk. _

_"Please, help me. I don't know what happened, he was supposed to be at school. Please help me!" the woman picked up the phone quickly and called 911. In a matter of minutes the ambulance came and took Zane from the sobbing Troy who dropped to the floor and begged God to forgive him of all his sins._

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><p>"I still don't understand his tie to all of this." Gabriella cleared the remorse out of her voice.<p>

"You will soon." Chad answered.

"Well, I'm confused, Chad, and I need answers. Why is Troy being accused of murder when you make him seem like such a loving person? He has three people's deaths on his hands and I don't understand why you were trying to kill him. Sharpay is involved how?" Gabriella pressured.

"Sharpay is going to have a very significant role in this. Then you will realize Troy, he didn't do it. He didn't do anything." Chad argued.

"Are you saying Sharpay did it? Zane and the three men murdered. Why were those men murdered?"

"They were all Sharpay's exes."

"I know that, Chad."

"They all cheated on her, used her fame, and rejected her. Shar hates rejection more than anything." Chad elaborated, "You should know."

"How do you figure?"

"You went to high school with her."

Gabriella nodded, "Indeed I did."

"You lost contact. She told me about you, tells me that I remind her of you, the way you refused to have her as a lover. You were her only true friend."

"I'm not gay. But let's not talk about that." Gabriella shrugged and then pressed stop on her tape recorder. "Matter of a fact, we're done for today, Chad. I'll see you Friday, one o'clock sharp. If you're not here in this building I'll go to you. Right now you have led me further down a road of damn questions and we need more time so I can pull up Zane and Sharpay's records and we can talk some more." she picked up her cup and her tape recorder and walked out.

"Taylor, find a Zane Bolton with a Troy Alexander Bolton as the father on the Birth and Death Certificate. Also see if you can find a Sharpay Elise Evans. Sammy follow me." she turned to her boss who opened his mouth to speak.

"We'll talk later. I've got work to do."

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><p><strong>Sad? I know, I felt kind of bad for writing it. And tell me if you've read a story similar so I can make changes in my plot. Review.<strong>

**Rachelle.**

**:)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

**Okay, I think I actually am going to get somewhere with this story. I honestly had stopped after a few chapters, when I was writing it, and thought where I stopped was where it was going to end but then when I proof read this and edited it (adding more scenes even) I had fresh ideas floating around in my overly creative mind.**

**Writer's Block has not entirely left me unfortunately and I found myself not writing much for the next Chapter of _Blue_ but I'll upload it anyway. I'll also try and write a little for _Theater Lights_ so that I don't fall behind and forget about it. These stories are actually going pretty well. Also I remember the story I mentioned, _Morning Cartoons_, and someone PMed me wondering why I hadn't put it on my profile. I actually didn't because it's still just a story idea and until I actually figure out what I want to do with it exactly, it will not be on my profile. **

**This chapter was fun for me to write because it had so much information. _Vital chapter!_**

_**Italics signifies retelling of past events.**_

**Enjoy.**

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><p>The papers had landed before her with a slight breeze of air in her face. She looked up from her laptop and smiled.<p>

"Thanks." Gabriella said.

Taylor nodded but frowned "It's gruesome, sad even."

"Can you give me a synopsis?" Gabriella closed her laptop and placed her chin on her hand before fixing her face to resemble curiosity.

"The death records show that he was originally strangled to death by a cord or something then placed in the water to seem like he was taking a bath and died. Whoever it was tried to make a point to Troy, make him seem like a bad father. The school Zane Bolton went to said a brunette woman and her boyfriend came to pick him up that day, saying Troy was running late and they knew him personally." Taylor grimaced, "They were never caught because the young teacher didn't catch a good glimpse."

Gabriella frowned and tried to imagine the child's terror when he realized they weren't friendly people. Then for some reason she found herself puzzled.

"What about the descriptions? Can you search those up for me?" Gabriella stood from her chair.

"Actually they are there with the birth and death certificate for Zane, though I can't seem to find Sharpay's birth certificate and records. It's like she disappeared off the national database." Taylor pondered.

Gabriella raised an eyebrow, "Search harder, Tay, she's there."

"We'll see." she looked up from Gabriella's desk and then shrugged, "Your one o'clock is here by the way."

"Punctuality, I like that." she murmured before picking up her tape recorder and walking out behind her friend.

"Chad Danforth." she said as a greeting to the male. He nodded his in return and stood from his seat.

"After you." he grumbled and followed her down the long hall until they got in the room he was in a week ago.

When they took their seats, Gabriella examined him and then gave him a friendly smile, "You clean up nice." she complimented.

"You know, you look the same in the pictures Sharpay showed me, it was how I recognized you."

"Huh, well I'm glad the years haven't taken away my youth." she put a tape in on the B-side and pressed play. "You know what to say Chad."

"My name is Chad Danforth, I'm 26 years of age, and I was not forced to speak by Ms. Montez." he said with a grin.

She nodded, "Now I have questions about where we left off before you continue your story."

Chad nodded thoughtfully, "Go ahead."

"Now are you sure Troy as never shown…_discontent_…with being a single father?" she asked inquisitively.

"If you're asking if he ever beat the shit out of Zane, then the answer is no, he loved that kid to death. He spoiled the little booger." Chad chuckled happily. "He loved him more than life itself. Zane could get away with anything."

"Well, we have his records of violence on file…care to explain?"

"Oh, Troy being violent? That's nothing to worry about, to be honest Troy rarely got into fights but he always got caught when he did. He's a lover but he hates the phrase "All love and peace, no war." he'd rather beat the shit out of you when you approach him wrong." Chad answered, "It's what anybody would do if someone put dirt on your name. People always tried to rile him up, test him after Ashleigh left and especially after Zane died."

"How did Troy act after Zane died?" She raised a curious eyebrow.

"He got into the heavy stuff, Coke, Ecstasy, Meth, LSD, even a little Shroom and Angel Dust. He drank a lot too. Fucked around. Once he was so gone he allowed Sharpay to suck his dick." he laughed with a shameful headshake. "He still does a little here and there but he's quitting. He's slowed a lot."

"Sharpay Evans, his cousin?" Gabriella said with a baffled tone.

"Yeah, Sharpay is into that kinky shit for some reason. She's everything you could think of… just real nasty and loves sex. She has the hots for him bad." Chad cleared his throat, "She wanted to do you real bad too didn't she? You know how she gets when she becomes obsessed. You and Troy are all that matters to her."

Gabriella shrugged, "We're not here to talk about me, Chad."

"But you're in this too, she got you all tied up in this."

"Really?" Gabriella snorted.

"Yeah, she did all this for you, Ms. Montez." he answered in a strange tone, "She's crazy, she belongs in the wacky house."

Gabriella nodded. "Hmm, leads us to another question Chad. You talk of Sharpay as a sexual person. Were you ever involved with her sexually?"

"Yeah, we'd get strung and wasted on some stuff, smoke a little weed, and fuck each other's brains out." he answered softly, "I loved her until she went all crazy."

"Then it wasn't really love was it?"

"I guess not." he answered confidently. She cleared her throat, signaling the end of the conversation.

"Alright then begin from the day Troy began to get hooked on those drugs with you." Gabriella ordered him.

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><p><em>"Yo, dude this is fucking awesome." Chad laughed in bliss as he talked to his equally high friend.<em>

_Troy looked around the magnified and murky room, it changed from color to color and it became difficult to catch up with all that was going on. He had a loopy grin on his face and scratched his itchy and spiky beard. "Yeah. Great." he laughed too._

_He never thought the way LSD seemed exaggerated was true but when his vision became one of the view of a broken camera he thought it was the most awesome thing in the world. __He felt that the world was lifted off his shoulders for the first time since Zane's funeral. The lifeless green eyes erased from his memory and replaced by the sound and sight of his son's laughing face._

_"I got to go make sure Zane is okay." he got up quickly but fell over and chuckled at his new found clumsiness._

_"Zane's sleeping." Chad said stupidly but tried to make it seem like Troy was the stupid one._

_"Right." Troy sat again. Then he suddenly began to cry when the face of his son appeared in his mind, lying dead in his coffin during the open casket funeral._

_Chad walked over to Troy, stumbling along the way and wrapped his arms loopily around his friend._

_"Hey! He'll be back in the morning." Chad soothed. Troy pushed his strung friend away from him and picked up another tab and took it before laying back on the floor._

_He felt a heavy weight on his chest and water dripped on his face. He wiped his face and opened his eyes. The breath was knocked out of him as he stared back at the miraj of his dripping gray son on all fours._

_"Zane?" he squeaked._

_Zane's blue lips parted and a putrid smell escaped them along with more water. Troy's eyes darkened in fear as his child's now black tongue wiggled out of his mouth. Troy pushed him off and turned to Chad. Chad was on the other side of the room completely oblivious to the scene unfolding and actually walking repeatedly into the opposite wall._

_His eyes went back to his wiggling four year-old who was crying loudly because his father rejected him. He crawled over to the corner of the room and wrapped his arms around his knees after pulling them up to his chest. He began to rock himself back and forth chanting softly Zane's favorite nursery tune, "Oh, Mr. Sun , Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me." he started to silently cry and continued, "Hiding behind a tree. These little children asking you to please come out so we can play with you. Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun." he sobbed the last few lines while his vision began to fade, "Please shine down on, please shine down on, please shine down on Troy."_

_And everything finally went black._

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><p>"Did you do anything else heavy with Troy?" Gabriella bit her lip queasily.<p>

"Naw. After I woke up the next morning, I told him I couldn't do that shit. He kept doing it though, it was the only way he could see and interact with Zane." Chad said sadly. "He was delusional, saying Zane was still there and needed his daddy so he couldn't stop."

Gabriella nodded, "How did he begin to realize he needed to stop afterwards, didn't say he slowed down?"

"He threw himself off a bridge because Zane was "swimming" in there and asked for him to join. Suddenly, he came to a weird realization that the LSD Zane wasn't his Zane. So instead he just suddenly quit, saying things about LSD and drugs like it were evil. That's when I told him about rehab. I did it. He didn't." Chad answered.

Gabriella nodded, feeling herself mentally chew on a piece of humble pie.

"So what happened to you? You just stopped?"

"Yeah, I guess." Chad said uncomfortably.

She nodded understandingly and brushed her fingers through her hair. "I want you to tell me about Troy, everything about him."

"Well, where do you start when it comes to Troy? He's just Troy." Chad snickered humorlessly.

"Describe him in one word." she tilted her head, very intrigued.

"Broken."

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><p>"Troy?" Sharpay's honey voice giggled. "Are you high?" She loved when Troy gave her attention like this. He was latched onto her neck holding her close, trying to sloppily please her.<p>

"Mhmm." he snorted. She pushed him away and pulled out her vibrator from a collection of massive pink pillows. "Do me."

Troy looked at the dark pink piece of machinery as it suddenly acquired legs and wiggled about. He looked up at her face with dilated eyes, "No." he said shortly.

"Why not?" she narrowed her eyes with inquisition.

"It's moving Sharpay, it might hurt." he rubbed his eyes.

She looked down at the vibrator for a while then laughed loudly when she looked back at Troy's face. "You must be so gone, Troy." she continued to laugh. Troy laughed too, unsure of what was so funny but not wanting to be left out of the happiness. He lied next to her and then buried his face into her pillows.

"You're so pretty." he complimented when she lied back also.

"I wish Gabriella thought so." she sighed.

"Well, she's blind and stupid. I think you're sexy." he chided. He proved his pointed by kissing his favorite spot on her neck.

When Troy showed up at her doorstep highly strung out on what she guessed was Angel Dust, his drug of choice lately she had invited him in. He immediately kissed her and cried following the usual routine. After she sucked him off and they ate something Troy went to the bathroom and took another dose of whatever he was taking and came back to her worse than before. It was every once in a while when Troy would do this, these surprise visits. Suddenly they became not so surprising anymore and became routine, at least once or twice a month Sharpay would expect him, the dates varied.

"Thank you." she giggled. Troy smiled at her giggle then lifted a lock of his cousin's hair.

"You should go back to brunette you looked even better that way." Troy murmured then sighed contentedly before pressing a kiss to Sharpay's shoulder.

"I love you High Troy." she giggled. He scrunched his eyebrows not understanding what she meant but was just happy she was laughing. "Okay." he affirmed.

Sharpay got up and rummaged through her drawers before finding her needle and the small bottle of liquid oxycodone. If she couldn't have Troy high or not, no one could. If it wasn't Sharpay's it wasn't anybody's.

She stuck the needle in the bottle and then turned to Troy ready to insert it into his arm. Troy watched her curiously and with suspicion glinting in his eyes.

"What's that?" he asked as she grabbed his arm.

Sharpay got ready to answer him, to tell him how it was a better high and would reunite him with Zane when a voice entered her apartment from her voice machine.

A voice she knew too well and missed so much. The voice of the only person she ever truly loved.

_"Hello, hopefully this is the right number. I'm trying to reach Sharpay Evans, I am Ms. Montez. I would like to contact you and request for you to come down to the American Purchase Building, just to answer some questions. It would help us a lot thank you. Just call back this number and if you don't have Caller ID call 212- 345-6728. Thank you have a great day."_

Sharpay set her bottle and needle down on her night table, a frown evident on her face. She could still hear the sweet voice echoing in her mind, even with Troy's loud snores beside her. Why did she need to be questioned? Did they know?

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><p>Sammy saw the look on Gabriella's face probably before Gabriella's even knew it was there. She sat by her desk and watched her colleague nervously hang up her phone and pluck and tweak at everything on her desk.<p>

"Who'd you call?" she finally called out, thinking Gabriella had tortured herself enough.

"Someone I've lost touch with is involved in my case." Gabriella said and sighed heavily.

"The #108 Case?"

"Yeah, the one with Troy Bolton." Gabriella placed her face in her hands. "I've also just gotten word that he's going to be at _Club H_ so I'm going to meet up with him. Get close and personal."

"Really, but doesn't he know who you are?" Sammy asked.

"Yeah… well, my fake identity anyway, I think the one he had gotten was the Anastasia or the Malan ID. I can't remember what I was carrying with me that day."

"You sound nervous about the old friend thing though." Sammy kicked her feet up on her desk before playing around with the settings on her camera.

"Yeah, this old friend was obsessed with me." Gabriella said with a bit of spite to her comment.

"Well, what could he do with security around?" Sammy questioned her concern.

"It's a she… a sneaky, conniving _she_ with a lot of money." Gabriella finally settled her eyes on her playful friend, "Who I will not fail to mention, is obsessed with me."

"Wow. That's messed up."

"This whole thing is messed up. You should hear the things Chad Danforth tells me. It's like you are living hell yourself. I go home to nightmares." Gabriella confided.

"Yikes." Sammy took a picture of herself and then a picture of the distressed Gabriella. "Wouldn't want to be ya."

"I don't really want to be me right now either." Gabriella sighed.

Sammy shrugged, "There is an up side though. If it turns out Troy is innocent you get a hot guy. If not you can say you danced at a club with a murderer, need I say is equally hot."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I don't want a man emotionally unstable. At least that's what I'm told he is." Gabriella sighed, "Even if I did, the excuse I have to clear things up with him will make him be to ashamed to put any moves on me let alone hook up with me."

Sammy giggled, "Oh, I don't know Gabs, when I look at his pictures they scream rough and passionate lover. The type out for fun and must I remind you, totally your type. I'm sure Jo will understand if you let him knock boots with you to gain his trust."

Gabriella laughed at the suggestion, "No way, he'd kill me. You're not supposed to be sleeping with your cases, you're suppose to be solving them."

"But what about when it's over? Wouldn't it be nice to fall into his big sexy man arms and ride excuse me rock his world view? Hmm?" Sammy wiggled her eyebrows and they laughed at the ridiculousness of the whole idea.

"I wouldn't mind, after the case, I can't exactly get in trouble for that. But during the case? The best I could do it try and be his friend, try and get to know his story."

"Why?" Sammy took her camera from around her neck and put it on her desk.

Why was a good question, "Because Chad is leading my down fucking memory lane, Sharpay is going to try and talk about some nonexistant relationship with me, and I'll be left with so many damn questions. Troy is the only one who can clear any of this up."

"Or maybe you can't get his beautiful blues out of your mind." she giggled.

"You know when I told you what happened when your short attention span got the best of you, it wasn't for you to rub it in my face." Gabriella said tersely. "And the plus side to this is that I don't have to see you."

Sammy laughed with a snort, "You're going to miss me." she sung.

Gabriella shook her head vigorously, "I think i'll be just fine without you for one night." she gave her a pointed look. And with that the two females burst into another fit of giggles.

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><p>When Troy woke up in Sharpay's bed disoriented he thought he had lost his mind. Sharpay stood fully naked in front of him, watching herself in the mirror as she tied her hair up in a neat ponytail.<p>

"It's not polite to stare, Troy."

Troy sighed and sat up scratching his skin through his shirt before squeezing his eyes shut. The image wasn't uncommon to him but that didn't mean it was any less disturbing.

"Good Morning Sleepyhead, I just came out the shower. You want me to set one for you?" she turned to him before picking up her underwear and putting it on. She then slid her bra on and clasped it behind her before climbing on the bed to press a kiss on his cheek.

"No." he said softly, "I'm okay." he yawned and stretched while Sharpay pulled on her sweats and t shirt.

"You want breakfast?" she sighed before scooting closer to him and placing her head against his chest once he settled down on her mattress again.

He suddenly shot up, "No. I got to go, Sharpay."

"Are you still mad about the phone conversation we had earlier?" she said sadly. He shook his head ignoring the fact that he hurt her feeling by pushing her off of him. He stood and put on his shoes before walking out of her bedroom and out of her house. He hated that his high or intoxicated self always showed up here even when he persuaded his sober self not to.

He was late to work. Again.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed :D <strong>

**Review.**

** Rachelle.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The more reviews he the sooner the update. **

**You guys are awesome :) **

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Gabriella tugged at her short cocktail dress when she stepped out of her car. Looping her pouch strap around her wrist, she gave the keys to a bouncer along with a hundred dollar bill then flashed her badge with a knowing look. He swallowed harshly and nodded with a weak smile before getting in her car.<p>

Flashing her badge to another bouncer and also giving him a hundred he opened the door for her and she walked through it looking around the lively club. People were jumping about and dancing, some were even drunk off their asses, others were in corners or against the wall trying to get each other to their place.

She walked to the bar and ordered herself a margarita on the rocks, no salt, and waited patiently. She checked her phone then turned it off and shoved it deep in her wrislet. The bartender put the drink down in front of her and she took a sip before she noticed the man she'd been looking for across from her. He was staring her down suspiciously.

Gabriella picked up her drink and kept her eyes on him as she walked to where he was sitting. He watched her take a seat next to him and she smiled seductively.

"Gabriella." she announced in his ear. She placed a soft hand on his arm, a way of telling him not to go.

"I know."

"What's your name?"

"You already know that." Troy chuckled breathily in her ear.

"Really? How do you know my name?" she asked innocently.

"We've met before." Troy offered. "Before I slammed you into the wall behind the Chase Bank, Sharpay introduced me to you a few years ago."

"Really?" Gabriella cocked an eyebrow. "I'm sure I would have _remembered you_." she said suggestively.

Troy shook his head then leaned into her ear. "Why have you been following me?"

"I haven't. And I still didn't get your name?" she evaded.

"It's Troy." he shook his head with a chuckle.

"Sexy name for a sexy man." she smiled and leaned forward. "Let's go somewhere so we can talk. You know why I'm here... _Troy_."

"Why are you here?"

"To have fun." she said and stood up. Feeling compelled, Troy stood also. He followed her up the stairs and down the long hallway to the dimly but colorfully lighted VIP section. She reached back and grabbed his arm and walked behind a curtain after showing the bouncer a card.

She fell on the cushions and pulled Troy down with her. He rolled over and sat next to her.

"Are you going to ask me why Sharpay did it?" he asked earnestly.

"We'll talk later. Right now, I think we should hang out." she giggled. She thought she was doing a pretty good job at keeping him interested; he was sitting there with her after all. _Alone._

"Look Gabriella I know what you're doing. I'm not interested." Troy said with an amused shake of his head.

She put a hand on his chest, "Oh, but you are Troy, you are here, alone, with me." She loosened the tie that was already falling off his neck, she pulled it off and leaned forward to place a kiss on his chin.

"I can't be friends with you?" She put his tie around her own neck and batted her eyelashes innocently.

"No, you can't." he said incredulously, "Sharpay would have a fit and you don't want to be my friend."

"Look, Troy." She said her eyes narrowing as she climbed on top of his lap. He stared up at her and his hands dejectedly fell to her thighs, as if he put up a fight with them.

"I'm being nice, baby, we'll answer all the questions later, but right now it's not my working hours. Forgive me, if you don't know how to be social but I'm trying to enjoy myself."

Troy nodded absent mindedly and rubbed her thighs, she pulled out a pen from her wristlet and smiled, "My number, call me."

She hurried out of the little section and left Troy aching for her to be above him again. Gabriella giggled at her work, she knew she riled him up. Her plan had succeeded. She felt like Marilyn Monroe, once she realized that she had the sex appeal, she abused it. And it felt damn good.

She headed to the bouncer she'd left her car with, who handed her the keys to her car and she took one last look at Club H before getting in and driving off.

_"Now I wait."_

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><p>"Ah, Chad, great to see you are still alive." Gabriella giggled. She sat at the table and put her recorder and tape in front of her.<p>

"How was your day Gabriella?"

"Great." she grinned, "And yours?"

"Good, until I found out you're fucking with my man. Don't mess with him alright?" Chad turned serious.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Gabriella sighed and placed the tape in the compartment.

"He had your number and I asked him how he got it, he said he came across it, that you're an old friend. He's a horrible liar." Chad shook his head disappointedly. "The only time Troy lies is when he knows he's doing something stupid. When did you meet him?" It was more of a demand then a question an it irritated Gabriella to no end.

"Step out my business." Gabriella said annoyed at how he began to reprimand her.

"You need to step off of Troy. He's not good all right? He's messed up and going through a lot so he's really vulnerable." Chad pleaded.

Gabriella pressed play on the tape recorder. "You know what to do."

"My name is Chad Danforth and I am not being forced to do this by Miss Montez. I am 26 years old." he began.

"Tell me more about Sharpay, what's going on with her lately?" Gabriella inquired.

"You still care I see?" Chad smiled, "She's been primping, trying to get ready and make an impression on you. She got your message she's just waiting for what she likes to call your "anniversary", the day you met, to come here."

Gabriella nodded, "That's very nice Chad, but that's not what I asked for, I'm talking about her everyday life."

"She's been diagnosed with that good stuff you know, personality disorders, she's bipolar, alcoholism, and some other crazy shit. Her whole dresser is full of medication rather than make up." Chad shook his head. "She doesn't have a routine or anything and she does have OCD, always making lists and making sure it's all done her way. I believe she should be locked up in one of those loony bins, a wacky house. I think I told you that before."

"Surprising." Gabriella said dryly and then straightened, "What about her relationship with Zane?"

"She was close with the kid, but not as close she'd make everyone think. She was different when boyfriends and lovers would come around. She'd pick on him and shit but when it was just them she used to be nice and read to him and play with him for a while before Troy would kick her out for the way she would act when Michael came around." Chad watched Gabriella's eyes light up like a bulb went on in her head.

"Is this what Michael looked like?" Gabriella pulled a picture from her pocket and put one of her fingers on it. Chad nodded, "Yeah, it does, a lot actually." he affirmed.

"Tell me about Michael, Chad." she shook her head and folded the paper.

"He was rough around the edges, used to beat the crap out of Sharpay. She used to go running to Troy, who would defend her of course, and everything would be normal for a while before he'd hit her again and the cycle would continue. Michael was horrible, he hated kids and happiness and shit like that, always mad. He hated the way Zane could put a smile on her face when he'd do something cute. The kid was irresistible. A little Troy in the making."

"Ah, now we are getting somewhere Chad." Gabriella leaned forward checking the tape as she spoke. "That day at the kindergarden, the day Zane died, the teacher described this picture to investigators." Gabriella pulled the paper out again, the cold eyes staring up from the white page at them. "You are telling me this is Michael?"

"'Fraid so." Chad said reluctantly. "Oh my God." his face paling.

"And they said a brunette with a black eye, about 5'2 with this description." she took out another paper and realization darkened his eyes as he studied the page in front of him.

"That's Shar." he said unmistakably.

"Huh, really?" she said soflty. "Do you know why Sharpay would do this, do you think she would be that daring?"

"She killed Michael." he looked up defiantly, "But she wouldn't kill Zane."

"If she killed once before she wouldn't do it again?" she pushed.

"Not Zane..." Chad said, seeming to only be trying to convince himself rather than the private investigator in front of him.

"Why not? You told me yourself that Sharpay does not like rejection, she doesn't take no for an answer. Is it possible that she believed Michael loved her and that he persuaded her cynical and unwell mind-as you also told me she was on meds- to get rid of Zane because he made her happy? It is isn't it?"

A moment of silence passed, making grief inevitable at the thought of a young boy staring his killer in the face and knowing that someone who was supposed to love him was now taking his short life away. Did his four year old head even get a chance to wrap it's mind around the fact or even grasp it?

"When Michael's body was found they discovered him the same way, strangled and put in the bathtub eyes open, face up. Do you see the irony that I'm seeing here?" she continued.

Chad nodded as he bent his body over the table and began to sob asking why. A question that had been weighing heavily on her mind lately. _Why_ was Sharpay doing all of this?

"Next, tell me, Chad... Tell me about Aubrey..." Gabriella had decided to continue the interview as Chad finally sat up a wiped at his eyes. "Actually you know what, I don't want to go on today, Miss Montez." Chad cleared his throat and gathered his things. She reached forward and pressed the stop button delicately with a manicured finger.

"Understandable, we covered a lot of ground today Chad, see you next Friday." she stood also and found herself hugging Chad who warmly returned it, "It's okay." she offered, unsure of why she was comforting him.

Chad shook his head, "No, it'll never be now."

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><p>Troy had never felt like hitting a woman before, he actually frowned upon domestic violence. But there were moments that he believed the woman would test the man, get him so riled up that he wasn't able to find the energy for words but to act on what he was feeling. Petty shit. He believed he would never be that man until the woman he once loved stood before him. The one he hadn't seen in two years, not since Zane's funeral.<p>

At least the 2 minutes that she was there high off her ass and climbing into her son's coffin.

But he wasn't going to hit her, only cowards hit women, afraid of saying what was on their mind to the women so they'd hit them; a punishment in their eyes for making them feel that way. The urge was strong to bury Ashleigh in a hole alive and then pour gallons of water on the grave while she suffocated to death. But he wouldn't do it.

The cops were already after his ass for killing 3 men that he'd barely even known. An ex-girlfriend dead and missing was pushing it.

"Hello, Troy."

He pointedly ignored her but she kept following him. "It isn't working out with Jonathan, if you haven't heard."

Troy adjusted his lab coat, "Who let you in the factory?"

"Well, I let myself in through the back actually." she replied sheepishly. "Wow, Troy look at you the big chemist, making millions a year. You are more handsome than I've ever seen you before." she smiled, trying to start conversation. "One minute we're college students high to our asses in debt the next you are in the newspapers, leading the search for cancer and child endangerment. You are the famous bachelor I see accomplishing goals in the med section, mixing chemicals and finding new elements." she tisked, "And I'm deeper in debt..."

"Get out, Ashleigh." he said roughly.

"But wait!" she said holding onto his forearm then quickly dropped it because of the look she got from him. "I have a proposition..." she said rising her perfectly plucked eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

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><p><strong>Rachelle :) <strong>


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